With demand strong, landlords in King County expect to increase rents by an average 3 percent between September and March, according to a local research firm.

Lori Hartjoy‘s insight:

Some amazing rent growth in the Seattle region, even during the slow moving cycle. Plus, they have been adding new rentals to the market. What is the cause? Relocation! In our own little neck of the woods it is common to see a slight decrease during Oct – Mar. by about 1 to 1 1/2 % as landlords try to keep their income property filled. What do you think about the last 12 months for Seattle and the forecast for the upcoming year?

One of the most amazing stories right now is the failure of either President Obama or Congress to address the monetary crisis. This is the crisis Joe Six-Pack feels when…

Lori Hartjoy‘s insight:

I loved this article. It clearly and in plain english explains why so many more people are feeling their budgets tighten as the dollar does not buy as much. Is a collapse imminent? possibly – Feel free to read on and see what your take on our country’s monetary situation is now and in the coming future. I sure don’t get warm fuzzies about stability when I read it…

Washington state officials want low-income residents to be prepared for a reduction in food-assistance benefits.

Lori Hartjoy‘s insight:

Remember that article from a few days ago that showed that those with the lowest incomes were already alloting 40% toward housing and were spending less elsewhere? Well, it looks like they’ll have to make do with even less for food in the near future… As a landlord, how will this affect some of your residents? Do you think they will have trouble making ends meet?

They say a photo is worth 1000 words… in some cases – they were better using none. Make sure if you’re adding photos to any kind of classified ad that the photo looks good. Otherwise, you’re just driving potential buyers or in this case renters… away…

Dear John: My 18-year-old son is doing nothing to gain independence. He doesn’t work or go to school. All he does all day is lie on the couch, watching TV and playing video games. He eats a lot of food and smells bad, too.

Lori Hartjoy‘s insight:

So often I hear my clients saying "I let a family member move into my rental and I’m having a hard time getting them out". I love all the helpful advice in this one that has to do with a child who is now ‘of age’ mooching off of their parents. Set aside that cupboard, shelf on the fridge and give them notice to vacate ASAP. Great advice by John Hartzell in this article. Have you had a similar experience?

Here it is, fresh from the Bureau of Labor Statistics : all of American spending in one big color wheel. Since some of you (inexplicably) don’t like pie charts, here’s the same data in bars. Averages are …

Lori Hartjoy‘s insight:

As the struggle to balance our budgets continues, you’ll note here that the bottom 20% (poorest) spend 40% of their income on housing. Typically they are renters. This is above the typical 33% requirement that many landlords have. So, by looking at this it means that those in the lowest income brackets (disable, seniors, students, etc.) are having to cut costs elsewhere. It looks to me like they are cutting it in insurance. How do you think this will change as Obamacare requirements come online?

When I read this from a Landlord perspective, I see – Those in house hunting mode will turn to purchasing on a slightly increased scale over the next year to two years. Therefore, vacancies will be on the rise, rent amounts will fall and a glut of rental housing will be readily available. For those who continue to build new rental housing options, the wait for ROI will be longer. This will also be a boon for those who choose to continue renting, as the market rents will slowly decline – in their favor… What is your take?

My wife and I are intimate again — thanks to the Bloomberg administration’s latest housing initiative.

Lori Hartjoy‘s insight:

I’ve been following the micro apartments since they started rolling out the articles and photos. To be honest, I’m not much impressed with the ‘affordability’. Yes, you save on space, can cram more families into tight quarters and while in some cities save a little off your rent, I’m not sold. The cost of the special furnishings to fit into these tight spaces are very expensive compared to the ‘norm’. I’ll continue to watch this trend and see if it gets any better in the coming months/years. What is your take?

Use this illustrated dictionary to identify house styles and learn about home design in North America and other parts of the world. Find photos, floor plans, and helpful resources.

Lori Hartjoy‘s insight:

If you’re like me, you see the terms like "Cape Cod" or "Craftsman Style" home and wonder – What exactly does that mean? This is a wonderful picture guide of over 50 different types of architectural styles of homes just to anser that question. Very informative…